Over the last two weeks, my team stayed in a small town in the Western Cape of South Africa called Darling. While we were there we worked alongside a ministry that brings the word of God to local schools. We had a half an hour to an hour with students to sing songs, read a bible story and play games with the kids. As a team, we were housed at one of the local churches where we ate, slept and planned our days. In our off time, we spent time with members of the community or as a team exploring the town, especially the cafes.
We also had the opportunity to join cell groups/bible studies and lead youth groups in the evenings. Before leaving for Darling, we were told to always have a song, a sermon and a testimony ready to go. The testimony aspect was an especially stretching experience, sharing my story and parts of my walk with Christ to a group of individuals I had just met.
I shared a little about my faith journey to a senior high youth group. I shared what my faith looked like in high school and some of my struggles, too. I would go to youth events, confirmation camp and even mission trips to Haiti every summer. I felt God’s presence during those experience so much that I would return home feeling very refreshed and inspired. I would feel a new motivation to live out my faith boldly in my everyday life. When I shared my testimony, I compared it to the reigniting of a flame. Unfortunately, as weeks went by and I slipped back into normal life, I would allow that flame to go out.
Here in South Africa, there is a very popular thing called a braai. It’s kind of like a barbecue, except it’s way better. You burn wood, either on a grill or in a fire pit but you don’t cook over the flames. You wait until there is nothing but embers left. Even long after the meat is cooked, the embers burn on.
My experiences in Darling with sharing testimonies and attending braais, I came to a realization about my faith. There is never a time when God is not around, there are just times I don’t seek Him. The coals of my faith are always there and always burning, ready to be reignited at all times. The further I walk in my faith the stronger my flames become and the deeper the embers become.
This trip has been an amazing opportunity to grow my faith and deepen my relationship with God. In a few days, my team and I will head into the mountains of Matpetseng, Lesotho. Here we will be stretched in new ways as we will immerse in the local lifestyle by joining a farming ministry and living in various villages.
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